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JOHN O. BALLENTINE, OF THORNTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES R. MILLS, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

Application tiled November 27, 1885.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. BALLBNTINE, a citizen of the United States, residing` at Thornton, in the county of Limestone and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, io making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon. i

Figure l of the drawings is a top plan view oi' my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3, a front elevation of one of the drawheads, and Fig. l a detail view of the sliding supporting-plate.

The present invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in automatic 2o car-couplings; and it has for its object to provide means whereby the safe, easy, and coinplete coupling of cars is secured, which will prevent all buffer accidents, as will be hercinaiter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A B represent the two opposing draw-heads, which are secured between suitable longitudinal guides, U, upon the under side of the car. The two draw-lieads with their several connections and operating mechanism are the same in every respect, and therefore, in further description, I shall refer to one only of the draw-heads, which has at its rear end a shank, c, loosely extending through a transverse guide-block, 5 b, having on the shank a spiral spring, c, and a nut, d, to act as a stop. `The shank a is preferably swiveled to the extension e of the draw-head, so that it will not bind when the draw-head is being pushed in.

In order to hold the-coupling-pin f in an elevated position previous to coupling the draw-heads, I provide a supporting-plate, D, adapted to slide in the draw-head, and when brought forward is directly under the pin-hold and the pin f resting thereon, as shown in draw-head B of Fig. 2. This plate D has connected to it a trip, E, so that when the plate is in position to hold up the pinf the trip will be extended some distance beyond the face of 5o the drawhead.

When the opposing draw head comes ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,875, dated February 9, 1886.

Serial No. 184,118. (No model.)

against the trip E, it forces it into a inortised seat, g, in the face ofthe draw-head, and also carries with it the plate D from under the pin, which will allow the pin to drop down in place to couple the link 71,. The shank ofthe trip E is of considerable length, and the plate D is attached thereto, the shank being heldin a sliding position in the draw-head by suit able guides.

Vhen the trip E is seated in the niortise g, it is flush with the surface of the draw-head, and consequently is removed from danger of being injured by the pressure of the drawhead opposite.

A second supporting-plate, F, is provided adapted to slide longitudinallyin the drawhead at the bottom thereof, and has a catch, t, for drawing it forward. The plate F is curved upwardly, asshown, and when brought 7o forward is held stationary in such position by a latch, G, engaging with the catch t', as shown, in draw-head A, Fig. l. The rear end of the plate F or its connections has connected to ita spring, k, of any suitableiorm and construction, so as to draw the plate back to its normal position when released bythe latch G, said latch having a trip-arm, l, by which it is automatically released by the arm striking against the end of one of the guides C.

In constructing the supporting-plate F and catch t', I prefer each should constitute the projecting end of tlat rectangular plates m u, respectively, as shown in Fig. 4, and an interveiling block, o, the whole being formed in one piece or separately, as preferred.

The plate F, as should be understood, is for the purpose of holding the link h up at an angle, so that it will enter the opposing drawhead, and when the draw-head carrying the 9o link comes in contact with the triping device Eit is forced in and with it the plate D, thus removing the support from the pinf and allowing it to drop down in place through the link. As this is being done the draw-head, carrying the link as it is forced inward by contact with the opposing drawhead, releases the latch G by its armi striking against the end of one of the guides C, and the spring k drawing the plate F back to its normal posiloo tion, thereby allowing the link to assume a natural or horizontal position.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a ear-coupling, an upper sliding supporting-y plate for the pin provided with a tripping device, in Combination With a lower sliding supporting-plate for the link, said plate being connected to aspring, and a latch for holding the plate in operative position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of two sliding draw-heads, each provided with a shank having coiled around it aspring and a nut secured thereto, an upper sliding supporting-'plate for the pin, having a tripping de- 15 vice, a lower sliding,` supporting-plate for the link, having a Catch, a latch with a trip-arm for holding and releasing said plate, and a spring for drawing it back to its normal position, substantially as and for the purpose set 2o forth. v In testimony that I Claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my narne in the presence of two witnesses. t

JOHN C. BALLENTINE. NTitnesses:

GEO. P. TURNER, F. M. SELLERS, 

